🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
To eat seafood well in Trang, it helps to know the lay of the land. The Kantang zone sits at the mouth of the Trang River — an old port town where most places are riverside, so you watch the fishing boats while you eat. Sikao and Pak Meng Beach sit on the open sea with prettier views, ideal for a sunset dinner. The catch in both zones is equally fresh because it comes straight from small boats working the same waters. In town there are a few good spots too, for anyone staying central who doesn't feel like driving out.
Kantang Zone — Along the Trang River
Kantang is an old fishing port, and the seafood places here are all about fresh catch, fair prices and an easygoing riverside feel. Come in the evening and you'll catch the boats heading back in under the golden light on the water.
Yai Choey Seafood
The old name everyone in Kantang knows, right on the river, with a full spread of fresh catch. Crab and shrimp are the standouts, and the regulars' go-to orders are fried sea bass with fish sauce and grilled squid — proper southern Thai cooking. It fills up with both locals and travellers in the evening.
Sanae Poo
A halal seafood spot on the Trang River with a cute fit-out and a riverside photo corner. Shrimp, shellfish, crab and fish in season — good for families or Muslim travellers, who can find halal places hard to come by in Trang.
Tha Khlong Seafood
A halal seafood place on the river whose selling point is the evening sunset — you eat while the boats come back to shore. The catch is fresh off the local boats, so it's worth booking an evening table for the sunset.
Poo Maa Party Seafood
Plenty of choice across the board — shrimp, shellfish, crab, all the way to sea urchin. There's both indoor and outdoor seating, so it suits big groups who want to order a bunch of things to share.
How to pick fresh catch
Many riverside places have a seafood tank you can pick from yourself — point at what you like and tell them how you want it cooked. For crab, choose one with firm, heavy claws; for shrimp, check that the head is firmly attached to the body. If you're not sure, just ask the vendor straight up which ones came off the boat today. People in Trang will give you a straight answer.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Trang food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Sikao–Pak Meng Beach — Open Sea Views
If you want seafood with a real sea view, this is the zone. Pak Meng is a long beach shaded by pine trees, with places lined up along the sand so you eat to the sound of the waves. Many have been around for years and source their catch from local boats working the same bay.
Pak Meng Seafood
The famous name on Pak Meng Beach, open for more than 40 years and using fresh catch from the local boats. The popular orders are 'two-flavour' sea bass, lime-steamed squid, grilled prawns and blanched cockles. You can sit with either a sea view or in the pine shade.
Khiang Dao Seafood Pak Meng
A seaside place open late until midnight (kitchen closes around 11pm) — handy if you only get off the island-hopping boat in the evening and want a long, unhurried meal of fresh, boldly southern seafood.
Yok Yor Pak Meng
Right on Pak Meng Beach with a cool sea breeze and an easy view to take in. The standout dish is lime-steamed squid with roe, and the fresh catch is cooked southern-style. It's a relaxed spot that works well for families.
Suan Son Pak Meng
Set under the pines along Pak Meng Beach, shady and cool, with fresh sea fish, shrimp, shellfish and crab at friendly prices. A good lunch stop after a swim or before catching a boat out to the islands.
Pak Lat Cafe & Seafood
An open-air spot catching the sea breeze at Ban Laem Sai in Sikao, with several photo corners and easy all-day seating. The seafood is good, so it suits anyone who wants the view, a cafe and a seafood meal all in one place.
Timing your meal around an island trip
Most people come to Pak Meng to catch a boat out to Koh Mook, Koh Kradan or the Emerald Cave. Boats usually leave in the morning and get back in the afternoon or early evening, so planning your seafood meal for the evening after you return works best — you get the sunset view and you don't have to rush.
In Trang Town — When You Don't Want to Drive Out
If you're staying central in Trang and don't feel like driving out to Kantang or Sikao, there are decent places in town with good fresh catch too. Most of them source from the morning market, which gets its supply from the same harbours.
Mahassamutr Cafe
A seafood place in Trang town with an easygoing feel, serving both regular and fusion seafood dishes plus grilled items cooked fresh at the table. Good for anyone who wants seafood in town without driving far.
Rai Mee Tan Tawan
A garden-setting place in the Trang town area serving local southern food and seafood, with moo kratha and jim jum on the menu too. Good for big groups who want both seafood and other dishes in one spot.
Khiang Le Seafood
A seafood place in the town–suburban zone of Trang, with fresh seasonal catch. The basics are done well and the prices are fair, making it a good family meal without travelling far.
Dishes Worth Trying in Trang
- Fried sea bass with fish sauce — fresh fish fried crisp outside and soft inside, drizzled with a sweet-salty fish sauce that's just right. It's the dish that tests every seafood kitchen.
- Lime-steamed squid (with or without roe) — fresh squid steamed and topped with a sour, spicy seafood dipping sauce; it lives or dies on how fresh the squid is.
- Grilled prawns — big prawns grilled until fragrant, with seafood dipping sauce on the side. Freshness matters more than the seasoning.
- Blanched cockles — blanched just until done so the meat stays juicy, dipped in a punchy sauce. A southern favourite.
- Steamed blue or mud crab — Trang has good crab; pick one with firm claws, steam it and enjoy the sweet meat on its own.
- Fried mullet — a local fish that's easy to find around the river mouth, fried and eaten with nam phrik chilli dip.
Prices, Hours and What to Know Before You Go
Straight up: seafood prices here come down mostly to "season and weight." Things like crab, big prawns and large fish are usually priced by the kilo, and the rate moves with how much the boats bring in. During the monsoon (around May–October) the sea gets rough and boats go out less, so the catch can be thinner and a touch pricier. In high season (November–April) the supply is plentiful and the beachside places are all open.
- Ask the per-kilo price before ordering, especially for crab and big prawns, so there's no surprise when the bill comes.
- Pak Meng beachside places get busy on high-season evenings — if you're in a group, call ahead to book a table.
- There are several halal places in Kantang, such as Sanae Poo and Tha Khlong, good for Muslim travellers.
- Allow time for the drive — Kantang is about 25 km from town and Pak Meng about 40 km. The roads are easy, but give yourself a buffer for the trip back at night.
Plan a full Trang trip — islands, sea and good food
See the Trang travel guide →